Gentle M J, Hunter L N
Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics Research, Edinburgh Research Station, Roslin, Midlothian.
Res Vet Sci. 1991 Jan;50(1):95-101. doi: 10.1016/0034-5288(91)90060-2.
Electroencephalographic, cardiovascular and behavioural parameters were examined in Gallus gallus var domesticus in response to feather removal. The progressive removal of feathers resulted in marked changes in the bird's behaviour from an alert agitated response following the initial removals to periods of crouching immobility following successive removals. During the periods of immobility the birds showed a high amplitude low frequency EEG pattern and successive removals resulted in a progressive increase in the total duration of this activity in the two minutes after removal. The heart rate response to feather removal was variable whereas the blood pressure always increased and this increase was followed by a gradual return to pre-stimulus levels. There were no consistent cardiovascular responses related to the immobility. It was concluded that feather removal is likely to be painful to the bird and feather removal by flockmates can be categorised as a welfare problem.
对家鸡进行羽毛拔除实验，检测其脑电图、心血管和行为参数。逐渐拔除羽毛导致鸡的行为发生显著变化，最初拔除时鸡表现出警觉激动的反应，随后连续拔除则出现蹲伏不动的时期。在不动的时期，鸡表现出高振幅低频脑电图模式，连续拔除导致拔除后两分钟内这种活动的总持续时间逐渐增加。对羽毛拔除的心率反应各不相同，而血压总是升高，随后逐渐恢复到刺激前水平。与不动状态没有一致的心血管反应。得出的结论是，拔除羽毛可能会使鸡感到疼痛，同群鸡相互拔除羽毛可归类为一个福利问题。
